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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
Beautifully tragic. Or tragically beautiful, not sure. Extremely well read audio-book.
Depressing and kind of horrific, but in a lovely, heartbreaking, endearing way. The kind that makes you want to get up and do something to save the world.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I struggled with this book. Here we have a white man writing in the perspectives of a white British woman and a young, female Nigerian teenager. How could he ever do these perspectives justice? I really try to be open-minded of the creative writing process and writers' extensions into voices that are different from theirs but it was really hard for me to shake the knowledge that Little Bee's words were being written by a white man who will never know what it's like to be a young girl, much less a young black girl with such a traumatic past!
However, Little Bee was a far more likable main character than Sarah. Sarah's impulsiveness felt almost too contrived--her decision to holiday in Nigeria, her on-going affair, her choice with the machete--all of these plot points bring us neatly back to Little Bee in a way that felt more forced than natural.
I do admire Chris Cleave's intentions and political agenda. The violence and racism and assholery that he highlights are points well taken. I just wish the execution was a little more enjoyable for me.
However, Little Bee was a far more likable main character than Sarah. Sarah's impulsiveness felt almost too contrived--her decision to holiday in Nigeria, her on-going affair, her choice with the machete--all of these plot points bring us neatly back to Little Bee in a way that felt more forced than natural.
I do admire Chris Cleave's intentions and political agenda. The violence and racism and assholery that he highlights are points well taken. I just wish the execution was a little more enjoyable for me.
medium-paced
I want to give this book to everyone I care about. I want it to make a difference in their lives; I want it to make a difference in mine.
There is a time in the teenage years when you start to realize just how incredibly fucked up the world is. It is this time that you start to think about making a DIFFERENCE and doing SOMETHING to make the world more just. If you don't act on that impulse relatively quickly in your younger years, however, life seems to somehow catch up with you. This is the dilemma of the central character, Sarah, who works at a women's magazine in England and who once dreamed of that DIFFERENCE she would someday make in the world. Ten years, and a trip to Nigeria, later, however, she is confronted with her past idealism and her current complacency.
How far would you go to save a human life? Would you put your own in jeopardy? Both Sarah and Little Bee confront this question. We donate our time, but what if we really had to put ourselves and our lives on the line to help another? What if we had to put our families on the line?
This book will haunt my thoughts for a long time. For some, this might be a turn-off. After all, summer reading is meant to be light, beach-reading, right? For me, a member of the first-world, and a privileged class, it is the questions Sarah faces and must answer that absolutely make this book a must-read, whether summer, spring, fall or winter. It is Little Bee's story, however, that will steal your heart.
There is a time in the teenage years when you start to realize just how incredibly fucked up the world is. It is this time that you start to think about making a DIFFERENCE and doing SOMETHING to make the world more just. If you don't act on that impulse relatively quickly in your younger years, however, life seems to somehow catch up with you. This is the dilemma of the central character, Sarah, who works at a women's magazine in England and who once dreamed of that DIFFERENCE she would someday make in the world. Ten years, and a trip to Nigeria, later, however, she is confronted with her past idealism and her current complacency.
How far would you go to save a human life? Would you put your own in jeopardy? Both Sarah and Little Bee confront this question. We donate our time, but what if we really had to put ourselves and our lives on the line to help another? What if we had to put our families on the line?
This book will haunt my thoughts for a long time. For some, this might be a turn-off. After all, summer reading is meant to be light, beach-reading, right? For me, a member of the first-world, and a privileged class, it is the questions Sarah faces and must answer that absolutely make this book a must-read, whether summer, spring, fall or winter. It is Little Bee's story, however, that will steal your heart.
Amazing novel! One of my new favorites although, I can't determine how I feel about the last few pages. You'll know when you get there. This one will have me thinking for some time to come
This book captivated my attention by page 2; the longing and description of a young girl wishing to be a British pound was captivating. Followed up by amazing character development and an unexpected roller coaster of emotions brought in by the various events that take place; definitely recommend it.
Well written, incredibly sad but worth reading because often we ignore the sad realities around us.